When the power went out at Portland International Jetport in Maine during a storm, the airport did not shut down entirely — but normal operations still took a major hit.
Here's what to know
According to WMTW, in late August, the jetport lost power and had to shift into reduced operations. The outlet reported that the backup system could support only essential airport functions.
Electricity came back about four hours later, but that did not fully resolve the problem. A surge during restoration tripped several breakers, causing another outage at the airport.
Assistant Airport Director Zach Sundquist told WMTW that this kind of setup is typical at airports. Emergency power usually covers safety-related needs, screening, and basic passenger movement through the terminal, rather than restoring the airport to full service.
That distinction becomes especially important when a weather-related outage hits a transportation hub. Even if an airport technically remains open, reduced power can still interfere with gate operations, scheduling, and passenger movement enough to trigger major delays.
More background
The incident is a reminder that "backup power" can mean very different things depending on the building or the type of infrastructure involved. For many public facilities, emergency power is meant to prevent dangerous failures, not make an outage unnoticeable.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
CMP said the jetport was treated as a priority location, and WMTW reported that crews worked as quickly as possible despite major damage to electrical infrastructure. In situations like that, restoring service is more complicated than simply turning everything back on.
Power systems may keep essential services functioning during a storm, but they do not always shield people from delays, missed appointments, or extra costs.
What's being done?
A longer-term upgrade is already moving forward at the jetport. According to WMTW, the Portland City Council approved an additional backup battery to extend airport coverage during future outages.
The project has not been installed yet and remains in the planning stage, but it also reflects a broader strategy many communities are considering: combining battery storage with traditional generators so more operations can stay supported when grid power fails. Batteries can help bridge interruptions and expand what stays powered during emergencies.
For airports and other critical facilities, layered systems like that can make outages less disruptive.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
